One of the prerequisites for opening a demat account is to register with a Depository Participant. It serves as a go-between or agent between the depository and you, the investor. A bank, brokerage house, or various other financial institutions can all be considered DPs.
Once the demat account opening process is complete, the trader or investor is provided with a Unique ID called the demat account number. The total characters in every demat account number in India are 16; however, the format of the account number depends upon which central depository the demat account open process has been initiated with.
If the Depository Participant opens the customer’s account with the NSDL, the first two characters of the demat account number are alphabets determining the country the investor belongs to, and the following 14 characters are numerical, for example, "IN98765432123456".
What is a demat account and how does it work?
For a long time in India, physical delivery certificates were the only means of trading shares and securities.
But when the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) established demat accounts in the nation in 1996, investment underwent a digital revolution.
The best demat account meaning indicates a dematerialized account through which a trader or investor can buy, sell, hold and manage shares and securities without any of the hassles of physical delivery, demat meaning dematerialisation of shares.
One of the main demat account benefits is that it has completely eliminated the need for any tedious process or excessive paperwork.
What is A DP ID?
Now that we know what a demat account means, it is also crucial to know what a DP idea means. Depository Participant Identification is referred to as DP ID.
Put simply, it is a special identification number that the depository assigns to each participant in the depository.
What is the difference between a DP ID and a demat account number?
The DP ID and the demat account number are different. The former is merely a number that the Depository—CDSL and NSDL—has assigned to the Depository Participant.
In a specific demat account number of an investor, the first 8 digits are the DP ID, and the last 8 digits are the unique client ID. Referencing the above examples here, for the demat account number "IN98765432123456" with NSDL, "IN987654" is the DP ID and "32123456" is the unique client ID. Similarly, for the demat account number "9876543212345678" opened with the CDSL, "98765432" is the DP ID and "12345678" is the unique client ID.
How to know my demat account number?
Now that we have a basic understanding of what is a depository participant and what a demat account means, let’s go into how you can locate your demat account number in two different ways. While you can get your demat account number in one go by simply applying the formula given above, you can also try any of the following ways:
1. Check Your Demat Account Statement
Looking into your demat account statement is the easiest and most convenient method to obtain your demat account number. Your DP will send you this statement on a regular basis, be it for regular transactions or even dividends and bonuses, typically once a month. It contains all the information about the shares you own, including bonus shares and it also displays the number of your demat account prominently.
2. Check Your Demat Account Opening Email
Your DP would have sent you an email with all the information you needed, including your demat account number, once you had completed the demat account opening procedure. To locate it, just search for "demat account opening email" in your email inbox.
How to Find Your DP ID?
It's as simple to find your DP ID as it is to get your demat account number.
1. Check Your Demat Account Statement
Your demat account statement includes your DP ID in addition to your demat account number. It is located in the "DP Details" section.
2. Contact Your Depository Participant (DP)
Contact your DP at any time if you are unable to locate your DP ID on your demat account statement. All the required information, including your DP ID, will be given to you by them.
The Last Word
We hope that this tutorial has made it easier for you to locate your DP ID and demat account number. Recall that hassle-free stock investing requires having a demat account. Maintain the safety and security of your demat account statement and other critical documents at all times.